Family Services Questions and Answers

Child Day Care Q & A

Q. Do I pay a fee for the child care?
A. Yes. You are required to pay a percentage of the child care based upon your gross countable monthly income. Countable monthly income includes gross wages, direct and indirect child support, social security benefits, dividends or interest on savings or bonds, income from estates including rental properties, worker's compensation and unemployment benefits.

Q. Can I choose the day care provider for my child?
A. Yes, but the provider must be an approved child care provider. Parents may choose from a variety of types of providers including licensed centers, licensed day care homes, religious sponsored programs, and informal arrangements such as care by a relative. In cases where the arrangement is informal, the provider must enroll with the Department of Social Services as an unlicensed provider and meet certain requirements. In all situations, the provider must be operating legally. Federal regulations require that most providers meet certain health and safety standards and agree to the conditions in order to receive public funds.

For a listing of child care centers and day care homes in Dare county, see the Division of Child Development's child care resource web site.

For a guide to choosing quality day care for your child, the National Network for Child Care is an excellent resource.

Q. How do I apply for Day Care Assistance?
A. If you are in need of assistance, contact the Dare County Department of Social Services at (252) 475-5500. When you call, be able to tell the social worker your gross countable monthly income, as described above. All income must be verified.

Q. How do I become a licensed Day Care provider?
A. If you are interested in becoming a licensed provider, contact the Division of Child Development at 1-800-859-0829.

Intake/Crisis Intervention Q & A

Q. Can you help me pay my light bill?
A. Yes. We have several funds that help pay utility bills (electric, fuel, or water bills) if the person is in a crisis. They are available to clients with low income who have a household member who would be endangered if the utility were turned off. These programs have limits on how much help can be provided.

Q. Is there a way to get food in an emergency?
A. Yes. Area churches in conjunction with the Boy Scouts operate food pantries on the beach and in Manteo. Emergency food is also available on Hatteras Island. These items are donated by the public and we issue vouchers to the pantries. Sometimes, the Salvation Army is also able to help people with emergency food.

Q. Can you help me get to the doctor?
A. Dare County operates a medical transportation program out of Older Adult Services at the Baum Center in Kill Devil Hills. We refer Medicaid and other clients to them to arrange transportation. to qualify, the person must have no means of transportation and no family or household member who is able to take them. Funds are available through Medicaid, older adult service allocations, and from county funds.

Q. Can you get my prescriptions filled?
A. We may be able to get a prescription filled one time if there is no other way to get your essential medicine. Clients are referred to the Medicaid program that covers most medications for eligible clients. We also refer to the indigent patient drug programs operated by drug manufacturers. Your physician must be willing to work with the drug companies in order for you to benefit from this resource.

Work First Employment Services Q & A

Q. What is this Personal Responsibility contract that I have to sign?
A. North Carolina law now requires that recipients of cash assistance make a plan to become financially self-sufficient as soon as possible after they begin receiving a check. The plan will include getting trained and looking for a job that you would like, learning how to be a good employee, ,making arrangements for child care while you work, having dependable transportation to get to work, and dealing with any other needs that could keep you from working. We want this plan to succeed for your financial security and the well-being of your family.

Q. How am I supposed to get to work when I don't have transportation?
A. The employment services social worker can help provide you temporary transportation and also help you make a long-term plan for dependable transportation.

Q. How can I find a baby sitter who will keep my kids when I have to work at night?
A. Our child day care staff and the employment services social worker can help you find or arrange for child care when you need it. Work First clients are given priority for child care services and receive support from the subsidy to help pay for it. Child care is available in Dare County on nights and weekends.

Q. How can I meet the 35 hours per week work requirement when I can't find a job?
A. There are many jobs available here most of the year that you should be able to do. We refer all clients to the Job Service at Employment Security to help with this and keep job listings on the bulletin board in our reception area at all times. Every effort is made to help clients locate work that they can do. Credit toward the 35 hours can also be given for work related education, time spent searching for a job, and time volunteering in a public or private agency to gain work experience that can lead to a job. Your social worker will help you find productive ways to accomplish these hours.